Modern ultrasound apparatuses have a multitude of mapping modes with a multitude of parameters to be set. For example, the SONOLINE® Omnia ultrasound system produced by SIEMENS® has imaging functions in B-mode and M-mode, wherein, for example, various duplex functions and color duplex imaging methods can be set. In the B-mode type of imaging (B for “brightness”), a recorded image is generated in a two-dimensional grey-scale representation, where the brightness of a pixel of the generated image depends on the intensity of the reflected sound. In color duplex operation, a defined window or a range of interest (ROI) in the B-image is assigned a color, wherein the depth, position and size of the window, as well as various parameters relating to coloring, can be set in order to visually represent the movement of a liquid, such as, for example, blood, or tissue. In this way, the flow of blood in the heart or in vessels can be measured using the Doppler effect.
However, a multitude of parameters have to be manually set on an ultrasound apparatus in order to zoom in on a range of interest, such as, for example bones, vessels or a particular area of tissue. Setting an ultrasound apparatus in this way is relatively time-consuming and can only be performed with appropriate experience, such that the optimally achievable image quality of a range of interest cannot always be generated. Examples of parameters to be set on an ultrasound apparatus include the depth of sound, depth gain compensation, dynamic range, contour, focus, image rate or line density, frequency, amplification, grey scales, transmitting output, post-processing curves for optimizing the grey scales, setting the sector angle or image width or setting a zoom. Further settings have to be made, for example, for optimizing three-dimensional images.
Various methods for setting parameters of an ultrasound apparatus are known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,509 B1 and the prior art described therein. With respect to the general functionality of an ultrasound apparatus and with respect to the parameters to be set on an ultrasound apparatus, reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,509 B1 and to the operating manual of the SONOLINE® Omnia ultrasound system by SIEMENS®, whose teachings are incorporated into this application by reference in their entireties.